112 CORVID.E. 



of the Journal to Stella, under the date of June 80, 1711, 

 and is as follows : — " Pray observe the inhabitants about 

 Wexford ; they are old English ; see what they have parti- 

 cular in their manners, names, and language. Magpies have 

 been always there, and no where else in Ireland, till of late 

 years." It must be confessed that the testimony afforded by 

 this passage is not so explicit as could be wished. That the 

 Magpie existed always, or, in other words, was indigenous to 

 the vicinity of Wexford, and to no other part of the country, 

 is scarcely credible, even if it were not directly contradicted 

 by the preceding quotation from Derrick. That it might 

 have continued to be a local denizen for a considerable time 

 after its introduction, is more probable, and more in accord- 

 ance with the habits of the bird : and this circumstance of its 

 locality probably gave origin to the popular idea expressed 

 by Swift, of its being indigenous to the county of Wexford. 

 We may, however, conclude with greater certainty, — for 

 upon this point our authority is express, — that it was only 

 in the reign of Queen Anne that the bird began to spread 

 generally over the kingdom ; — that is, at the same period as 

 the introduction of Frogs ; and indeed I have sometimes 

 heard these two events spoken of traditionally as having been 

 simultaneous. The town of Wexford is remarkable as having 

 been the first place of strength in the island which was re- 

 duced and colonized by the English. Even to the present 

 day the great majority of the inhabitants of that part of the 

 country are of English extraction ; and it is not improbable 

 that their forefathers brought the Magpie with them from 

 England, perhaps as a pet, to put them in mind of their 

 native land ; for it is scarcely possible that any one would 

 voluntarily introduce so mischievous an animal. At all 

 events, St. Patrick's curse, which is said to rest so heavily on 

 the whole tribe of serpents, does not appear to have ex- 

 tended to Frogs and Magpies, for I know no part of the 



